At Grab, maintaining a high standard of safety is a continuous process. Grab app users may already be aware of the comprehensive suite of safety features for passengers. Yet that’s not all. For driver-partners, there’s also continuous learning initiatives which are geared at reminding and updating them on road safety skills, know-how, and regulations. 

Grab recently invited us to have a closer look at these reskilling and upskilling programs. Among the superapp’s key skills development initiatives for road safety is its webinar series with the theme “Drive Safe: Takbong Pogi, Safe Palagi.”

Here, speakers from Grab and partner organizations refresh driver- and delivery-partners on road safety tips. The webinar, which happens quarterly, focuses on vehicle maintenance tips, road safety guidelines, and pointers on driver wellbeing. 

In these webinars, Grab also partners with other organizations that are experts in various road situations. In the first quarter of 2023, Grab partnered with global construction material company CEMEX for a cadence of knowledge-sharing sessions titled ‘Listo Tayo!’, which zeroed in on how to safely ply the roads with heavy- and light-duty trucks. To date, around 1,000 driver- and -delivery partners have participated in the series. 

The "Drive Safe: Takbong Pogi, Safe Palagi" webinar series also comprehensively addresses passenger handling and provides essential customer service reminders and guidelines to Grab driver-partners. This initiative ensures that driver-partners foster a safe and worry-free environment for their passengers from the moment they board the vehicle to their drop-off. Key topics covered in this series encompass gender sensitivity, the use of proper language, and general code of conduct. 

Furthering accessibility to learning opportunities is GrabAcademy – Grab’s very own in-app learning platform for its partner communities. Driver-, delivery-, and merchant-partners have exclusive access to the platform’s diverse array of educational programs, covering subjects such as road safety, vehicle sanitation, and data protection; and refresher courses on service quality standards and platform guidelines. GrabAcademy also includes modules on entrepreneurship, computer basics, and digital content. Partners who complete the courses will receive a Certificate of Completion via their driver- or merchant- apps. 

“Road safety is more than just abiding by traffic regulations as it is a multi-dimensional commitment that requires a 360-degree approach,” said Grab Philippines Head of Operations CJ Lacsican. “At Grab, we embrace a holistic safety ethos by introducing industry-first safety features within our app; and equipping our driver-partners with the skills needed to offer safe rides, which cover not only the technical aspects of driving but also the expected decorum when ferrying our passengers to their intended destination.” 

“As the famous adage goes, ‘life-long learning is the key to success’. We are committed to both providing a viable livelihood to our partners and ensuring that they have an optimum progression on the platform. It’s of high importance for us that they grow with us and that they are able to evolve their skillset as they pursue their professions within the Grab ecosystem or even other income-generating interests,” Lacsican adds.